Sunshine
by Courtlynn D
Summary: Brittany knows that every hurt and pain can be cured with a little fun in the sun. Pieberry or Brittberry or however you call it.


The sun was shining so bright on that summer day. While most people were cramming around their A/C units, Brittany Pierce was frolicking at her favorite park. Brittany prided herself on her frolicking skills, and loved every second of it. Clad in her favorite short-shorts and gray tank top, iPod blasting the latest tunes, the leggy cheerleader hopped, skipped, and cartwheeled her way around the vast expanse of green fields. She had never felt more alive than when the sun and music flowed through her. Britt never wanted this incredible feeling to go away. But, of course, her blind euphoria ended when a very small figure across the field caught her eye. The brunette was slumped against a tree, her knees drawn up, head hanging low. Brittany didn't even spare a moment considering checking on the girl. What if the girl was hurt and needed help? The blonde jogged over to the tree. As she got closer Brittany gasped as she recognized the girl. She was unmistakable. Who else in town wears plaid knee socks with penny loafers besides the very outspoken Rachel Berry?

"Rachel?" Brittany spoke tenatively.

The mini-diva jumped, her head snapped up to meet the blonde's gaze. "Oh god Brittany! You scared me! What are you doing here?"

"Frolicking." Brittany spoke matter-of-factly, "But I think the real question right now is what are _you_ doing here?"

The small girl sighed and rubbed her eyes. Rachel didn't look good. In fact, she looked _terrible_. Her eyes were red and puffy, her make up smudged. Her hair looked like she'd been ruffling it for hours, and Brittany had never seen so many wrinkles in her clothes before. Rachel had an almost religious-like conviction about ironing her blouses and skirts. But today, she just looked like a mess. _Not even a hot mess._ Brittany added in her head.

Sitting down on the grass with the brunette, Brittany prodded softly with a smile, "Hey, I won't tell anyone, whatever it is. You can trust me."

Rachel stared straight into the dancer's eyes, "No, I certainly _can't_ trust you. You're a Cheerio, remember? I will _never_ have a good track record with any of them."

Brittany frowned with the realization. _I guess we aren't very nice to her. But that doesn't mean I can't be nice now._

Brittany brightened once again, "Okay, well we're not in school now, right? So, for right now, let's just pretend that I'm not a Cheerio and you're not..." Brittany trailed off, trying to think of a name to describe the entirety of Rachel Berry's high school career.

"A loser?" Rachel finished, dejectedly.

"Uh...I guess so, if that's what you want to call it." Brittany never thought of Rachel as a loser though. The diva sung so well and was far too pretty to ever be a _true_ loser. "So I'm not a Cheerio and you're not a loser." Brittany beamed, "We can just be Rachel and Brittany. How's that sound?"

Uncertainty clouded Rachel's face. She thought hard about whether the cheerleader could be trusted. "And you promise you won't use what I say against me in any way?"

"No way! I really don't like lying to people unless someone tells me to. Coach Sylvester has me lie to teachers all the time so I can pass the classes."

"What does she have you say to them?"

"That I'm in a special program for blonde students and that I'm earning my high school credits there, so teachers should just give me a passing grade in McKinley so the school doesn't bother my home."

Rachel was truly shocked, "And they just believe that without papers or actual proof?"

"Yeah," The blonde pondered that fact for a minute, "Not a lot of teachers care about Cheerios grades, you know? But anyway, you were supposed to be telling me about your life stuff you've got going on. What's up?"

Rachel shifted her gaze to the floor. Brittany _knew_ something really bad must've happened if it actually made Rachel reluctant to speak for once.

"It's just painful to talk about I guess..." Tears pooled in chocolate brown eyes. "...I just feel so humiliated."

Brittany shifted closer to Rachel, taking the brunette's hands in her own. "Whatever it is, things will get better. Things always get better after a while."

Still staring straight at the ground, Rachel's shoulders shook with sobs she desperately tried to hold in, "B-but it just feels like I'm going to be hurt by p-people I care about for the rest of my life."

Brittany's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand. Rachel what_happened_?"

"Finn broke up with me!" The words spilled out in a shriek, "_Again_!" Rachel burst into sobs at the confession. The poor girl just looked so fragile, Brittany couldn't help but gather the brunette in her arms, letting Rachel cry it out in the crook of her shoulder. It was such a shame that the strongest glee clubber was reduced to this sad state because of a boy. _Boys aren't worth this much hurt._ Thought Brittany.

After a few minutes, helped by Brittany's comforting, the diva finally calmed down enough to speak again. "He didn't even explain why he did it this time." _*sniffle*_"It's like this 'break up thing' has become the norm, like I should've _expected_ this to happen." Her voice was full of bitterness.

"Rachel, if he keeps hurting you so badly, why do you keep going back to him? That's obtuse."

"Huh?" Rachel was confused, "Wait, do you mean _abuse?_"

"Oh right, yeah that one." Brittany skimmed over the mix-up. "But really Rachel, Finn shouldn't treat you like that. The whole Glee Club sees it, they just don't talk about it."

"They do?" The brunette looked up to meet the blonde's eyes in surprise, "I thought the new directions supported our relationship."

Brittany shook her head, "No, they deal with it. But mostly, they think it's sad you keep going back to him. At least, that's what Kurt says during Cheerio practice."

"Oh..." Rachel was astonished. "I had no idea...But, but I do love Finn so much! There's just something about hi-"

"Okay Rachel I'm gonna stop you right there. If he really makes you as happy as you say he does, then why are you sitting in a park crying by yourself? Even _I_ can see that doesn't make sense."

Rachel cast her eyes to the earthy ground once again, dejected and full of sorrow. "I guess...I guess I am not as happy as I'd like to think I am. But isn't it always better to be with someone than to be alone?"

"Who told you that crap?"

"Finn."

Britt sighed, this boy was starting sound dumber than herself. "You have to know_you_ before you can share yourself with other people. That's how it works. If you can't do that, then you're lost from the start."

Rachel slowly took in what the blonde was trying to say, "No one ever told me that before. It does make sense though."

Suddenly, the dancer made movements to get up, "Okay, no more of this mopey business! I'm going to show you how to have some fun _without_ a boyfriend." Blue eyes gazed enthusiastically into brown, a hand stretched out. Hesitating for a moment, unsure of what tomfoolery the zany blonde would get into, Rachel accepted the hand, and was hoisted to her feet.

"So..." Rachel drawled, "What's your first plan?"

A playful grin grew on the taller girl's face, "First, we are going to frolic like we have never frolicked before!"

"But, I don't know _how_ to frolic!" Rachel whined.

Brittany's grin only grew wider, "I'll teach you then" the blonde extended a hand, "You in?"

Rachel couldn't help but grin back. The silly girl's happy mood was infectious. Taking the other girl's hand in her own, Rachel simply replied, "I'm in."

And just like that, the two girls ran off, freeing themselves in the blue skies and bright sunshine.

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><p><strong>AN: Reviews and critiques are nice for a young, untalented writer. =)**


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